Year In Review: Sound Off Surveys

2000 Year in Review - Year in Review: Sound Off surveys

The weekly Sound off surveys, although not scientific, let readers phone in their views about news topics. Here's a brief look at the highs and lows of the survey during the year 2000.

MOST-POPULAR QUESTION: Do you agree with the Florida Supreme Court decision. There were 7,752 callers who phoned in their opinion to the Dec. 10 Sound Off question that asked about the court decision to overrule a lower court and order a hand recount of ballots in the presidential election. Of the total, 5,114 said they opposed the decision, while 2,638 callers agreed with it.

THE LEAST-POPULAR QUESTION: Would you appear on a show like Survivor? Only 283 people called to answer that July 9 question. Of them, only 35 said they would want to appear on the show, a CBS hit that followed a group of people as they competed to remain on a tropical island, with the winner getting $1 million. The other 248 callers said they would not be willing to appear on such a show.

THE MOST-LOPSIDED QUESTION: Could the televised presidential debates change how you will vote? The Oct. 1 question on the eve of the first of three debates between the two candidates appeared to show public skepticism that the sessions would change many people's views about their preferences. Of the 905 callers, 865 or 95.6 percent, said the debates could not change their mind about whom they would support. Only 40 callers, or 4.4 percent, said the debates could sway their vote.

CLOSEST RESPONSE: Do bars that give women free drinks on ladies' nights practice illegal discrimination? This Jan. 30 question earned the most evenly split verdict. Of the total of 338 callers, 172 or 50.8 percent said such promotions did constitute illegal discrimination. The remaining 166 callers, or 49.2 percent, said it was not an example of illegal discrimination.